A 19-year-old man was arrested Sunday morning after he deliberately trampled and vandalized the growing memorial for slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk outside Turning Point USA’s headquarters in Phoenix.

Fox News cameras captured the moment when the suspect walked through the memorial, kicking over flowers, vases, and flags left by mourners. Video shows one attendee in a blue polo shirt confronting the vandal, pulling him out of the memorial area, and throwing him to the ground to stop the destruction.

Suspect Identified

Phoenix police identified the suspect as Ryder Corral, 19. In video of his arrest, Corral was seen wearing a black shirt featuring an American flag and eagle design — a shirt that closely resembled the one worn by Tyler Robinson, the man accused of assassinating Kirk last Wednesday at Utah Valley University.

Corral was taken into custody around 9:50 a.m. and faces charges including criminal damage and disorderly conduct, according to Phoenix Police Department Public Information Sergeant Philip Krynsky. Officers already on scene for traffic control due to the size of the memorial gathering quickly intervened. No injuries were reported.

Community Outrage

The incident comes just days after Kirk, 31, was fatally shot while speaking to a crowd of 3,000 during a campus event in Orem, Utah. His death sparked vigils and memorials nationwide, with hundreds gathering outside TPUSA’s Phoenix headquarters to mourn.

Witnesses said the vandal’s actions were especially disturbing because of the similarity between his clothing and the shirt described in FBI bulletins of Kirk’s assassin. On Friday, law enforcement arrested Robinson after a 33-hour manhunt, charging him with capital murder.

Background on the Assassination

Kirk, a husband and father of two, was struck by a single bullet to the neck while addressing students at Utah Valley University. He was rushed to Timpanogos Regional Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. His assassination has raised serious questions about event security and has triggered a national debate about political violence in the United States.

Just one day before Robinson’s arrest, the FBI released photos of a person of interest wearing black tactical-style clothing, jeans, sunglasses, and a hat. The suspect was later identified as Robinson, who is now in custody awaiting trial.

Aftermath

Turning Point USA has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the vandalism at its headquarters.

For mourners, the vandalism was a shocking disruption to what had become a place of quiet reflection. Yet, as one witness put it after restraining the suspect: “We won’t let hate erase the love and respect people came here to show Charlie.”

A 19-year-old man was arrested Sunday morning after he deliberately trampled and vandalized the growing memorial for slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk outside Turning Point USA’s headquarters in Phoenix.

Fox News cameras captured the moment when the suspect walked through the memorial, kicking over flowers, vases, and flags left by mourners. Video shows one attendee in a blue polo shirt confronting the vandal, pulling him out of the memorial area, and throwing him to the ground to stop the destruction.

Suspect Identified

Phoenix police identified the suspect as Ryder Corral, 19. In video of his arrest, Corral was seen wearing a black shirt featuring an American flag and eagle design — a shirt that closely resembled the one worn by Tyler Robinson, the man accused of assassinating Kirk last Wednesday at Utah Valley University.

Corral was taken into custody around 9:50 a.m. and faces charges including criminal damage and disorderly conduct, according to Phoenix Police Department Public Information Sergeant Philip Krynsky. Officers already on scene for traffic control due to the size of the memorial gathering quickly intervened. No injuries were reported.

Community Outrage

The incident comes just days after Kirk, 31, was fatally shot while speaking to a crowd of 3,000 during a campus event in Orem, Utah. His death sparked vigils and memorials nationwide, with hundreds gathering outside TPUSA’s Phoenix headquarters to mourn.

Witnesses said the vandal’s actions were especially disturbing because of the similarity between his clothing and the shirt described in FBI bulletins of Kirk’s assassin. On Friday, law enforcement arrested Robinson after a 33-hour manhunt, charging him with capital murder.

Background on the Assassination

Kirk, a husband and father of two, was struck by a single bullet to the neck while addressing students at Utah Valley University. He was rushed to Timpanogos Regional Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. His assassination has raised serious questions about event security and has triggered a national debate about political violence in the United States.

Just one day before Robinson’s arrest, the FBI released photos of a person of interest wearing black tactical-style clothing, jeans, sunglasses, and a hat. The suspect was later identified as Robinson, who is now in custody awaiting trial.